


Forever, Thine Name is Magnus

by silvergenesis



Series: A Shift in Reality [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Dates, Fluff, M/M, Making Out (A little), Mild Language, Pre-Relationship(ish), Role Reversal, Shadowhunter Magnus Bane, Warlock Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-03-08
Packaged: 2019-11-13 21:45:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18039632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvergenesis/pseuds/silvergenesis
Summary: “What?” He says hotly, feeling oddly exposed.“Nothing, nothing,” Catarina says and waves her hand dismissively.  “Go back to your texting.”“No seriously, what?”“It’s nothing,” Catarina repeats, digging back into her unseemly breakfast choice of low-fat yogurt and fruit.Magnus glares at her.“It’s just nice you know,” Ragnor says.  “To see you showing interest in someone for more than a one night stand.”---Magnus is trying to go on his first date with Alec but the demons simply won't let him.





	Forever, Thine Name is Magnus

**Author's Note:**

> This was unaccountably difficult to write. It's just a first date fic, how hard could it be? HARD, I tell you. I don't know why, but my brain literally refused to write this for two weeks. I had writer's block. I had to go soul searching and participate in self-introspective exercises asking why, why, why, my god WHY?
> 
> As you can see, I managed to prevail in the end. So here for your kind consideration, the next installment in my warlock!Alec series.
> 
> NOTE: Unfortunately, as much as I'd love to say this fic is standalone, it is not. There are events and references to this fic's predecessor, For When I Saw You The World Was Suddenly Right, that won't make sense unless you've read it. So mosey on down there if you'd like, we'll still be here whenever you finish.
> 
> DISCLAIMERS: I have not read the books and have only watched the TV series up to the end of season 2. Even though 3B episodes are being released weekly now, I still haven't watched season 3A yet. I've instead, started rewatching the series, partly to refresh my memory but also for the purposes of another fic I'm working on. Thus my knowledge of the series and character descriptions is limited to the TV series.
> 
> This is not beta read so all mistakes are mine.

“Oh Angel, this again?”

“What is this, like night number four?”

“Three, actually. I’d’ve tackled him and knocked him out if he’d tried going out again tonight. As it is, it looks like the floor beat me to it.”

“I can hear _all_ of you. I’m right here, thank you very much,” Magnus says, his voice muffled by the pillow his face is mashed securely into.

A boot prods his ribs and Magnus groans theatrically before rolling over onto his back and glaring blearily up at his friends.

“Well he’s alive,” Raphael says, running a critical eye over his prone form.

“You don’t need to sound so disappointed Raph,” Magnus says crossly.

“Magnus, drink some water,” Catarina says briskly. She kneels down beside him holding out a bottle of water and frowning severely at him until Magnus takes it from her and drinks down a good half of it.

“Couldn’t even make it in to bed,” Ragnor says, tone haughty as he stares down his nose at where Magnus is sprawled in an ungainly heap on the floor just beside his bed.

“I got a pillow,” Magnus retorts, poking said object.

Ragnor heaves a sigh that’s almost more of a growl and points a finger at Magnus. His mouth drops open, ready to spew what will no doubt be an illuminating diatribe on all the many and varied ways Magnus fails at adulting, but then his phone starts ringing loudly in his pocket.

Lip curled, irritation heavy on his face, Ragnor takes the call managing it with a surprising amount of civility.

“I have to go,” Ragnor says once the call is done. He stares death at Magnus. “But you _will_ end this pathetic display at once! _Call_ him. Text him. For Angel’s sake do _something_ other than drinking and dancing for ten thousand nights in a row like you did when you were having a crisis a week ago. I can’t take this any more, I’m going to throw you off the _bell tower_!” Ragnor hisses the last part, glares brimstone and fire at Magnus, and then leaves.

“Urgh.” Magnus groans and buries his head into his pillow instead.

A solid thump sounds on the floor beside his head. Magnus looks up to find that it’s his cellphone. He glares balefully at the offending object and then upwards at Raphael who looms over him with a very unfriendly look on his face.

“Can I get cleaned up first at least?” Magnus waves vaguely at his rumpled outfit from last night. The burgundy shirt is a mess of wrinkles from being slept in, and his tight leather pants are riding up in a hellishly unsexy manner. His multitude of necklaces are a tangled mess upon his chest and Magnus is sure his hair and makeup are a complete disaster as well. Magnus feels small, pathetic, and tired.

“No,” Raphael says shortly. “Call. Text. Send a pigeon. I don’t care. Contact the warlock now or so help me I will add Nair to one of your shampoo bottles.”

Magnus gasps, staring askance at Raphael. “You wouldn’t!”

Raphael’s expression is flat and unforgiving.

“Don’t you dare!” Magnus growls, eyes narrowed. He’s going to need to lock his precious shampoo bottles up for the foreseeable future. And maybe his conditioners too. Who knew what horrifying atrocities Raphael’s twisted mind could conjure up.

“This is getting ridiculous,” Catarina cuts in curtly. “I thought we were over this but you run into Alec for five minutes and he gives you a drink and his phone number and you think the appropriate reaction is to binge drink and club for three nights in a row?”

“I knnoooowwww,” Magnus groans covering his eyes with his hands and slumping dramatically against the floor again. Angel, he’s a disaster. He couldn’t even go to Pandemonium because he’d been trying to avoid Alec so he’d had to make do with shitty clubs full of shitty bartenders who could barely pour a beer properly let alone get a martini right.

“Contact him. Now.” Raphael parks himself in front of the door to Magnus’ room, arms crossed, eyes narrowed menacingly.

Magnus glares back. If glares could set things on fire, Magnus and Raphael would each be so much ash right now.

“Ugh, fine.” Magnus, his eyes gritty from a persistent lack of sleep, gives up first, picking up his phone. He unlocks it, pulls up the texting app then simply stares squintily at the screen. He freezes here pretty much every single time he’s tried this.

“Oh,” Catarina says.

“No judging!” Magnus screeches, curling protectively over his phone screen.

“But you have a text written out already!” Catarina says. “Or at least part of one! Just finish it and hit send already!”

“I said no judging!” Magnus cries dramatically.

“How was I judging?” Catarina says indignantly. “I’ll judge you if you don’t send it!”

“I’m going to order a crate load of Nair,” Raphael says when Magnus still fails to do anything, his ire clear in his tone.

Magnus grits his teeth, glares at his ceiling and then pokes Alec’s entry listed at the top of his texting app, the word ‘draft’ written out in red letters just beside his name.

“Raziel, it’s already finished! Hit send!” Cat hisses.

Magnus still hesitates, staring at the short little text he’d written out two days ago that really shouldn’t mean so much but somehow does.

_Hi Alec. This is Magnus. How’s it going? :)_

“I’m going to hit send for you if you don’t do it,” Catarina threatens.

“Should I leave the smiley face on at the end?” Magnus hedges. Catarina’s hand shoots out and adds a random assortment of letters to the end of the text as she attempts to hit the send button, missing it by a wide margin when Magnus whips his phone out of the way.

There’s fire in his normally cool and collected friend’s eyes and Magnus knows he’s hit the end of Catarina’s tolerance.

“Okay, okay!” He hastily deletes the new, nonsensical additions and before he can talk himself out of it, like he’s done about two thousand other times in the last few days, hits send. “It’s done!” He squeaks before Catarina can get her hands around his throat.

“Thank Raziel!” Raphael grunts before turning and stomping out of Magnus’ room. Catarina slumps back onto his bed in relief.

“There. Was that so difficult?”

“Hellish,” Magnus groans out, slumping back gracelessly onto his pillow where he’s still lying on the floor.

They lay in silence for a few moments, Magnus contemplating the play of the late morning light across his ceiling, a sense of impending doom dancing merrily at the back of his mind.

Catarina’s small hand reaches over the edge of the bed and pats his shoulder. “I have to get going. You should get cleaned, have something to eat and get some sleep so you’re ready for patrol tonight. Try not to have a nervous breakdown in the meantime.” With another pat on his shoulder, Catarina leaves his room.

Magnus groans again when she’s gone, staying where he is. Catarina said not have a nervous breakdown so naturally, it’s exactly what he’s going to do. His mind spins out of control then, panic he’d barely been keeping at bay cresting to an all new high. Thoughts whirl through his mind. What if Alec changes his mind about him? What if Magnus messes this up? What if Magnus already messed this up by taking so long to contact him? What if Alec gets to know him and decides Magnus isn’t worth the time? What if--

Suddenly his phone buzzes. Magnus sits up immediately and stares at it. His screen is lit up with a notification for a new text message, right under the reminder to solve the puzzle of the day on his word games app.

Hardly daring to hope Magnus unlocks his phone and opens the text.

_Magnus! It’s really great to hear from you. I’m doing well, just reading some new books I got a while ago. What are you doing?_

There’s no mention of the length of time it took Magnus to send the first text and Magnus doesn’t intend to bring it up either. He taps out a reply immediately.

It’s not until Magnus heads out for patrol that night that he realizes barring his run, the admin meeting Ragnor dragged him to by his ear, and sparring with Raphael, Magnus has managed to spend his entire day texting Alec.

 

***

 

“I never thought I’d say this, but now I almost wish we _hadn’t_ encouraged Magnus to contact Alec.”

Magnus’ eyes flip up and he stares across the dining table where Ragnor, Catarina, and Raphael sit eating breakfast with him, his thumbs frozen over his phone screen mid-text. His own breakfast of cereal and milk is long finished, the empty bowl sitting before him.

“I don’t,” Raphael says in his customary monotone. “It’s been so much quieter around here this past week.”

Magnus’ jaw drops open in affront. There’s the teeniest, tiniest, vaguest quirk of Raphael’s lips to indicate he might be joking. Or he might be serious. Magnus can’t tell sometimes.

“It’d be nice to have a conversation with him where he’s looking up at you and paying attention though,” Catarina grouses.

“ _Him_ is right here!” Magnus says. What is it with people talking around him like he doesn’t exist these days? “And I’ll have you know, I do look at people when they talk to me, I’m not a complete animal!”

“You’ve been dangerously close to being a zoo exhibit this week,” Ragnor puts in mildly. “I’d reprimand you for all that texting but so far we’ve been lucky it hasn’t interfered with your duties and you’ve only managed to perform a heinously good imitation of a mundane teenager who couldn’t put their phone down to save their life.”

“There. Phone. Down.” Magnus makes a show of setting his phone down on the table with a loud thump but the moment it’s out of his hands his fingers twitch with the need to finish that text to Alec. He doesn’t want Alec to think he’s ignoring him.

“There’s no way he’s going to think you’re ignoring him if you don’t text him for five minutes,” Catarina says, in a disturbing display of her psychic tendencies. Her eyebrow is quirked in a rather judgemental manner. Magnus doesn’t appreciate it. “It’s been like 24/7 texting with you two. How the hell do you two even have that much to talk about?”

His cheeks heat up almost instantly, a foreign feeling that takes a moment for him to identify. What the hell? Magnus doesn’t _blush_. “We just do! He’s-- he’s easy to talk to.” Magnus stares at his hands. “I like talking to him,” he adds in a mutter, wondering why he’s so embarrassed about this. Alec is easier to talk to than Ragnor sometimes. And far nicer-- but that’s not hard because Ragnor is a jerk and helps Raphael plot Magnus’ untimely demise daily. Magnus had been worried it was only because of the barrier texting provided but they’d had a few phone calls sprinkled throughout the week and the conversation had been just as natural then.

There’s a drawn out silence, longer than Magnus thinks is warranted and he looks up to find his friends exchanging looks before finally gifting him with oddly soft expressions. Even Raphael’s toned down his default strangle-Magnus-now look.

“What?” He says hotly, feeling oddly exposed.

“Nothing, nothing,” Catarina says and waves her hand dismissively. “Go back to your texting.”

“No seriously, what?”

“It’s nothing,” Catarina repeats, digging back into her unseemly breakfast choice of low-fat yogurt and fruit.

Magnus glares at her.

“It’s just nice you know,” Ragnor says. “To see you showing interest in someone for more than a one night stand.”

“Well now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here,” Magnus mutters, tapping his fingers restlessly, eyes darting about. He picks up his phone again and tries to hide behind the four-inch tall device.

Raphael snorts as he stands up from the table. “Well I gotta go beat some recruits up.” He gathers up his breakfast dishes. “Have fun texting your boyfriend,” Raphael adds just as he leaves the dining area, denying Magnus any opportunity to fire back. He sputters for about ten seconds before slumping in his chair, in reluctant defeat.

Ragnor and Catarina snort at the same time and Magnus glares at them both. “You’re all terrible people,” he announces. He clears up his breakfast dishes as primly as possible and leaves the dining area as well, trying to hold his head up high.

“Don’t get too caught up with your _boyfriend_ ,” Ragnor calls after him. Magnus flips him off just before he turns the corner.

 

***

 

Later, freshly showered after a sparring session with some fellow Shadowhunters, Magnus is in the kitchen putting a snack together for himself. Or, well, trying to anyways.

He’s more focused on his phone, engrossed in texting Alec so Ragnor appearing at his side like a bad omen nearly scares the soul out of Magnus’ body.

“So I need you to do shift scheduling again,” Ragnor says without preamble.

“Isn’t that Tessa’s job?” Magnus gasps, fighting to breathe normally again.

“Tessa’s in Alicante right now,” Ragnor says airily.

Just then, Tessa steps into the kitchen, a bag slung over her shoulder. She heads to the fridge and opens the door where she considers the offerings, finger tapping idly on the fridge door, before leaning forward and emerging with a bottle of blueberry flavored sparkling water. Tessa cracks the lid open and takes a long drink of it. She’s just screwing the cap back on when she finally looks up and notices the severe scrutiny she’s under.

“Hi?” She says, looking a little spooked.

“Alicante, huh?” Magnus says acidly.

Tessa’s grey eyes widen. “Right, I’m going then. Bye!” She disappears around the corner only to reappear again immediately after, upper body half leaning around the corner. “I will actually _be_ in Alicante,” she says and then disappears again.

“So, scheduling?” Ragnor says, unrepentant.

“I know what you’re doing,” Magnus says glowering.

“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. As you can see, Tessa will be unavailable and I’m busy so someone needs to do the scheduling for the Institute and you’re ever so good at it.”

Magnus watches Ragnor’s face for a moment. He waits until Ragnor’s eye twitches and then says sweetly, “Did that hurt?”

Ragnor glares darkly at him. “Look at this new low you’ve driven me to Bane. _Compliments_. Revolting.”

“Oh I don’t know,” Magnus hums, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “I quite like them. You’re welcome to come up with more. It could help.”

“Now you’ve forced my hand,” Ragnor says suddenly far too cheerful. “Do the scheduling. That’s an order.” He thumps Magnus’ arm hard enough that it tingles painfully from the impact. “I want to see them in my email by tonight!” he adds, leaving the kitchen just as quickly as he entered it.

Magnus sputters indignantly-- he’s been doing this far too often recently-- before slumping like a limp noodle against the kitchen counter. He has terrible friends. He has an even worse boss.

With a heavy sigh, Magnus redrafts the text he was writing to Alec.

_Sorry, need to go. Ragnor is forcing me to do the scheduling again. D: It isn’t at all obvious what he’s trying to do there._

With a huff, he shoves his phone back into his pocket, grabs two apples, and leaves the kitchen, idly considering the best course of action to take that would enable him to peg Ragnor in the nose with the second apple.

 

***

 

There are two gentle knocks on the office door followed by a soft, almost uncertain sounding, “hey.”

Magnus almost misses it, wrapped up as he is in the intricacies of crafting a schedule able to accommodate and account for the time-off requests of twenty different shadowhunters, the schedule from last week, the current mood of a few pairs of feuding shadowhunters and Ragnor’s grumpy demands of the week. He’s gleefully sticking Whittle and Du Champs together on ichor duty where they’ll hopefully work through their most current disagreement when Alec knocks.

Magnus’ gaze snaps up at the sound and he blinks at the warlock, nonplussed, brain still tracking through where best to throw the next pair of feuding shadowhunters.

“Alec,” He says two seconds too long later. “Uh, hey.” He blinks again, still a little dazed, not at all helped by the sight of Alec looking almost bashfully at him through a waterfall of black bangs and long eyelashes. “Um, were we supposed to meet or something?” Magnus says, feeling stupid and two pages behind the rest of the class.

“Uh no,” Alec says, shaking his head. “I just-- uh-- thought I would bring you a drink.” He lifts a carry tray into view filled with two paper cups from Starbucks, a pair of pastry bags slotted neatly in between the cups. He lifts the tray high enough that it looks like he’s trying to hide his flushing face behind it and Magnus can’t help but find it endlessly adorable. “It sounded like you would be busy doing something you’re not too fond of and I thought it would cheer you up.”

It’s… It’s sweet. So stupidly sweet. Magnus’ brain can barely handle it.

“Is that... okay...?” Alec asks almost timidly, seemingly shrinking into himself the longer Magnus doesn’t respond.

“Er-- um-- no! I mean yes! Yes that’s fine! It’s great. Thank you. That’s really thoughtful of you,” Magnus stammers out in a rush. He gets up from his (Tessa’s) chair and stands behind the desk, not a hundred percent sure what he is trying to do. “Come in, have a seat,” Magnus babbles, gesturing at the two chairs set just in front of the desk and then waving his hands some more like he’s some dumb mundane magician performing a trick for an enraptured crowd. With determination, he brings his hands back to his sides and commands them to stay firmly in place.

Alec seems to almost sag with relief at Magnus’ words. He busies himself with stepping into the office, taking a seat and divvying up the drinks and pastries. It takes Magnus a moment to realize he’s hovering like an awkward idiot and he sits down again, taking a deep breath and telling himself to get a grip.

“I got you a chai tea latte with soy again. I hope that’s okay,” Alec says as he pops the drink out of the tray and slides it over to Magnus.

“More then; it’s perfect,” Magnus says, regaining enough of his footing to send a flirty smile at Alec. The warlock flushes and ducks his head while popping the pastry bags open to check on their contents.

“You mentioned something about liking chocolate, so I got the chocolate loaf cake for you,” Alec says pushing the pastry bag over as well. Magnus peeks inside the bag long enough to see the dark richness of the double chocolate loaf.

“That’s my favorite!” Magnus says, unable to stop himself from pawing enthusiastically at the paper bag to get to the contents. He breaks off a piece and pops it into his mouth, a low moan breaking free as the decadent, rich taste of the loaf floods his mouth. When he looks up, Alec is staring wide eyed at him and Magnus feels the tiniest bit embarrassed.

“Sorry,” Magnus says, then adds a moment later, “but not sorry, actually. I don’t let myself have these often.”

“Why not?” Alec says eyebrow quirked in curiosity as he digs into his own pastry bag. Inside is a lemon loaf; the pale yellow colouring and white frosting very distinct.

“Because I’d pretty much live on these and only these. Cat has told me several times, shadowhunters need to maintain a certain level of health and fitness and a diet of chocolate loaf slices from Starbucks would not be conducive to that. So I’m only allowed these once in a while.” Magnus takes another bite and tries not to moan through another explosion of rich chocolatey goodness.

“From what I’ve seen, I think you’re doing just fine,” Alec says, taking a sip of his drink and looking rather earnestly at Magnus.

Alec leaves himself wide open like this all the time, even through texting when he has ample opportunity to review what he’s just written. It’s a little endearing actually and terribly adorable. Magnus can’t help the overly suggestive grin that splits his face wide open. “Oh, so you’ve been looking have you?”

Alec blinks for a moment, confusion plain on his handsome features. Then realization dawns and another blush paints his cheeks red. He starts sputtering. “No, no, no, no, no that’s not what I meant! Not at all! No, I meant-- not that your physique isn’t-- um-- you know-- And not that I don’t think-- um-- But I meant that you seem to be perfectly physically capable of-- Oh Lilith you’re making fun of me again aren’t you?” Alec glares at him, hunching down like he’s trying to hide behind his paper cup. 

Magnus can’t help but laugh. “Oh darling, I’m sorry, but you just make it too easy!”

“Ugh, you’re terrible,” Alec grumbles, but he looks reluctantly amused anyways.

“Mmm, but you love it,” Magnus says, winking.

“Debatable,” Alec replies, lips twisting like he’s trying to hide a smile.

“Agh, darling you wound me!” Magnus throws his hand over his forehead in a dramatic swoon.

“Well _someone’s_ got to keep you grounded,” Alec says affecting a put upon sigh. “Might as well be me.”

“Alec Lightwood, ever the self-sacrificing hero.” Magnus smiles teasingly.

“Mmm,” Alec says as he looks consideringly at Magnus. He smiles then, a coy little thing. “I’ll be honest with you; it’s not too terribly difficult a sacrifice to make.”

The unexpected boldness surprises a laugh out of Magnus and Alec’s smile widens into a grin.

“Still, sacrifices deserve rewards,” Magnus says in a sing-song tone. “Why don’t we start with dinner?”

Alec blinks at Magnus for a moment. Then he laughs and Magnus thinks he might have overstepped, might have tried to move things along faster than he should have.

He’s scrambling for a way to smoothly backtrack when Alec says, “Should I be concerned, Magnus, that you think a date with you is a reward?”

“Isn’t it though?” Magnus says lightly, pushing as much of his steadily evaporating confidence into his tone as he can. He can’t help the nervous jiggle of his leg under the desk where it’s safely out of sight.

“Mmm,” Alec says lips twisting again like he’s trying to stop another smile. “With that type of confidence how can I say anything other then yes?”

It takes Magnus a second to fully register Alec’s answer, and then another to compose himself enough so that he didn’t give in to the sudden urge to both wilt in complete and utter relief and jump up onto the desk dancing with excitement at the same time.

“Great!” Magnus chirps a little too enthusiastically. “I’ll text you the-- ” Suddenly, the overhead lights flicker to a lower setting and emergency lights begin flashing, washing the room in steady pulses of crimson. At the same time, an alarm begins blaring, three nearly deafening screeches followed by quieter more rhythmic beats that sound steadily in the background.

“Details,” he finishes before sighing gustily.

“That works for me,” Alec says as he eyes the ceiling dubiously.

“Major demon activity alert. That one doesn’t go off for anything else,” Magnus says by way of explanation.

They watch a small herd of Shadowhunters go scurrying down the hallway past the open door of the office.

“I suppose I should take my leave now,” Alec says.

Magnus smiles wryly and nods, feeling more than a little annoyed at the timing.

He sees Alec out the door then.

“Call me, if you need me for anything,” Alec says earnestly as he’s turning to leave.

Magnus blinks. “I will,” he says, nodding.

Alec looks at Magnus then with an oddly intense expression, hazel eyes swimming with a myriad of emotions Magnus couldn’t begin to identify. “Stay safe, Magnus,” Alec says. “Text me whenever you can.” The warlock pauses then, looking like he wants to say something more, but he just shakes his head instead, shooting a small, soft smile at Magnus before turning to disappear down the hallway.

Magnus watches him go, his heart beating rabbit fast in his suddenly too-tight chest.

 

***

 

Well, he made it to Alec’s loft this time, which was a first. Magnus even had time to stop off at a florists to buy a rose, which he’d presented to Alec with a flourish and had been rewarded with a deep red blush for his efforts. He’d gotten to see the warlock in _person_ this time so he’s being treated to a view of him in dressed to the nines in a tailored black suit with a black collared shirt, stylish dress shoes, and hair styled just this side of freshly debauched.

He looks _hot_ as hell.

And Magnus can’t _do_ anything about it because Ragnor just called demanding he come back to the Institute to help attend to the latest surge in demon activity.

“Well you made it to my loft this time,” Alec observes, grinning wryly, but Magnus can see the warlock is disappointed. He carefully sets the rose Magnus got him into a slim crystal vase he’d produced from somewhere in his kitchen, filling it halfway with water from the tap.

Magnus flops back with a gust of air against the black leather couch, staring gloomily at the New York skyline visible through wall-to-wall windows leading out onto a massive balcony. It’s decorated stylishly in an eclectic mix of post-modern bachelor pad meets boho chic that somehow works.

Neither Isabelle nor Jace are present and Magnus strongly suspects their date has something to do with it, which makes Magnus want to cry all over again. Alec comes to sit beside him.

“It was nice seeing you this time.” Magnus glances over at Alec who’s giving him a smile full of warm eyes and gentle affection.

Magnus sits up straight. “We could still just go on this date. I could tell Ragnor I tripped and hit my head which is why I didn’t show up. It could work!”

“I think you’d feel really bad about doing that,” Alec says, eyebrow quirked slightly.

“No, I wouldn’t!” Magnus protests. Then he wilts under Alec’s sceptically amused stare. “Yeah, okay I would.”

These surges in demon activity have not simply been weird, quirky occurrences that a few overworked patrols could deal with. They’ve ended up being an all-hands-on-deck type situation that have lasted for at least a day or so before dying back down long enough for everyone to rest and recover before the next surge arrives. The surges have been unpredictable in their timing and no matter how Magnus has tried to schedule his date with Alec, whether immediately after he’d recuperated from the latest wave or a day or two after it, they always seem to find a way to happen just as the date is supposed to occur or plowing right through the scheduled time of the date and out the other side.

“But I also feel horrible about standing you up for the fourth time,” Magnus adds quietly, guiltily.

“I do have to admit,” Alec says. “I was getting a bit of a complex there.”

Magnus can’t help the wide eyed and wounded look he gives Alec. “Alec, I didn’t--”

“I know, Magnus. I know it’s not your fault. But I have to admit, that I couldn’t stop some doubts from slipping in.” Alec scratches the back of his neck awkwardly.

Magnus doesn’t know what to say to that. He’s going to destroy Hell if he loses a chance at a date with Alexander Lightwood because of a stupidly inconvenient uptick in demon activity.

“But,” Alec continues. “Seeing you tonight has definitely helped.” Alec lays his hand on top of Magnus’ hand where it’s sitting on the couch. After a moment, Magnus flips his hand over and interlaces his fingers with Alec’s. His hand is large and warm and Magnus can’t help the giddy smile that breaks out on his face.

“You look amazing, by the way,” Magnus says, feeling unaccountably shy all of a sudden.

“You do too,” Alec says. He reaches out absently and gently tugs one of Magnus’ dyed locks of hair, this time coloured a deep purple. 

Magnus wants to kiss Alec then; has wanted to since their impromptu coffee date at the Institute, but he’d held off because he'd wanted to do it properly. At this rate though, properly could mean he’d get to kiss Alec sometime next year when time ran backwards and Raziel came down to tap dance upon the earth.

Mind made up, Magnus leans in, slowly, cautiously, telegraphing his every move so Alec can move back if he wants to. Alec’s eyes flip to his lips and then back up to his face and the warlock starts leaning in too and everything is heading somewhere amazing when Magnus’ phone starts beeping shrilly and vibrating aggressively from its position on the coffee table.

Magnus closes his eyes in a plea for patience and Alec flops back with a huff against his couch.

“It seems that duty is calling,” Alec says gently, amusement layered with the slightest hint of disappointment in his eyes.

“I don’t _want_ to,” Magnus whines as he picks up his phone to silence the damnable demon activity notification. A glance at the map shows alerts dotting the city. Besides not getting his much coveted date with Alec, it also looks like he’s in for another long and sleepless night.

“I know,” Alec says. “And I don’t really want you to either, but needs must.”

Magnus makes a face then, which causes Alec to laugh. The warlock stands, gently tugging Magnus up by both hands as well. For a moment they stand, simply gazing at each other complete with the cliche drowning in each other’s eyes or at least that’s what it feels like on Magnus' part. Alec lets go of one of his hands after another moment, motioning for a portal before turning back to Magnus as it starts whirling into existence behind him.

Alec smiles suddenly tugging Magnus forward. Before Magnus knows what’s happening, Alec is planting a soft kiss on his cheek. He lingers for a moment and Magnus is drowning in old books and burnt sugar overlayed with a hint of vanilla, and feels his chest swell to bursting with so many feelings he can hardly breathe.

“That is going to distract me so very terribly,” Magnus states matter of factly when Alec pulls away. The place where Alec kissed him tingles ever so slightly.

“I know,” Alec says smiling almost smugly. Then his expression sobers a bit and in a quieter tone he says, “Stay safe, Magnus.”

“I will,” Magnus says back just as quietly.

There’s the same expression from after their coffee date brimming in Alec’s eyes, threatening to spill over. Then just as suddenly as it was there, it’s gone and Alec is pushing Magnus on the shoulder, enough to make him take a step back towards the portal, a smug smile back on his face. “Go do your job Shadowhunter.”

 

***

 

“And you’re sure the horrible city warding has nothing to do with these surges?” Ragnor says, eyebrows furrowed, expression frustrated. He’s unfairly awake considering they’ve just come off of four hellish days dealing with the latest and, thus far, heaviest surge in demon activity. Magnus is trying desperately not to fall asleep where he’s sitting beside Ragnor across the desk from Isabelle and Alec. He’d only managed eight hours of sleep before being cruelly dragged out of his bed by an overly energetic Ragnor to attend this meeting in his office.

“Are you sure we should be having this meeting without Aldertree?” Alec looks around nervously like he’s expecting Aldertree to come bursting into Ragnor’s office at any moment. At least Alec is here, Magnus muses. It gives him something exceedingly pretty to look at while trying not to doze off in the middle of what is actually a rather important meeting.

“Yes we must,” Ragnor says blandly. “He’s at the Spiral Labyrinth all this week and I simply can’t put this consultation off any longer.” His expression is entirely too innocent.

“And Lydia…?”

“Recommended you and your siblings. She’s been inundated with meeting requests with the vampires, werewolves, and Seelies and seemed to hope you and your siblings could handle us Shadowhunters for her,” Ragnor says.

“I feel like there is a conspiracy happening but I’m not sure what the details are because it could be any one of like ten scenarios I can think of,” Alec says.

“You’re too suspicious Alec,” Isabelle says airily. “And _really_ imaginative. _I_ can only think of, like, three.”

“Weird how the High Warlock leaves town and suddenly everyone is asking for meetings and consultations with the warlocks,” Magnus mutters, smiling a little dozily at Alec. His exhausted thoughts are a little scattered, feelings of amusement at Ragnor’s unsubtle antics intermingling with a desire to crawl onto Alec’s lap, bury his face in his neck, and fall asleep there.

“It’s not weird at all,” Ragnor says very seriously. “It’s simply the timing.”

“Whatever you say,” Isabelle says looking highly amused.

“Anyways, back to the point of this meeting,” Ragnor says. “Does the terrible warding have _anything_ to do with these surges?”

Alec and Isabelle both wince, but it’s Alec who answers. “It’s... a yes and a no. This isn’t _not_ entirely Aldertree’s fault. Yes the demon surges would probably be less intense if the warding were better but no, the bad warding is not what is causing these surges. If that were the case, the New York Institute would be the only city suffering from these surges and we know for a fact this is occurring worldwide. The High Warlock of Los Angeles, Aline Penhallow, I know personally myself. She’s got some of the best warding I know of, and they’re also going through the same thing we are.”

Ragnor sighs looking extremely disappointed. “So then, _is_ there anything we can do to mitigate the terrible warding? I’ll take anything that can help to lessen how bad these surges are especially after the last one we just went through.”

Brother and sister exchange thoughtful looks before Isabelle says, “At the risk of pissing off Aldertree, there are wards that can be cast that can help boost the ones already in place. It won’t be as effective as having actual, decent warding but it will be better than nothing.”

“I’ll take it,” Ragnor says emphatically. “At the risk of sounding like a demanding shadowhunter, if you wouldn’t mind doing it as soon as possible, that would be absolutely lovely.”

“We’ll let you off the hook this time,” Isabelle says, grinning. “After all, the demon surges affect us Downworlders as well. But we’ll have to speak to Lydia about this plan first although I don’t see her being opposed to it. She is the one who came up with the idea first.”

Ragnor nods.

And then, because he’s a little out of it, Magnus asks the question that every Shadowhunter and probably every Downworlder who isn’t a warlock has been thinking but very diplomatically not asking since Aldertree took the position of High Warlock.

“Why does Aldertree suck so much at warlocking?”

Silence envelops the room following the question. Magnus is suddenly wide awake cursing his exhaustion as he mentally reviews what he just said. He’s about to start backpedaling when Isabelle bursts out laughing. Alec tries to look disapproving, but his lips twitch and he can’t resist a few chuckles himself.

The mortified look that had been taking over Ragnor’s face is slowly being replaced by one of confusion.

“Oh that was too good,” Isabelle says, wiping actual tears from her eyes. “Oh Magnus, we need to be best friends. That was _amazing_.”

Magnus rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“It’s because Aldertree is pretty young. Well partially because of that,” Isabelle explains still grinning widely. “He’s what, a century old maybe?”

“Less, I think,” Alec says, having given up on suppressing his own grin of amusement. “If I’m not mistaken, the Clave has copies of his baby photos.”

Ragnor exchanges a look with Magnus. Magnus knows exactly what they’re doing after the meeting is done.

“It’s more than just that though,” Isabelle adds. “He’s also legitimately just not that talented.”

“I have to disagree Izzy,” Alec cuts in, frowning at his twin sister. “There are plenty of warlocks with his magnitude of power that were far more competent at spell casting at the age he is right now. In my opinion, I think he’s severely lacking practice and good fundamentals. I have no idea how his initial tutoring on magic was, but it was likely terrible. He needs to go back to his basics and learn them properly. Which he’s not going to be able to do being High Warlock because he doesn’t have the time for it.”

“No big brother, tell us what you really think,” Isabelle says, chuckling. “Nah, I think you’re right though. Victor does need more practice.”

“So…” Ragnor says, expression now a little horrified. “You’re trying to tell me that Aldertree is like a ten-year-old Shadowhunter who knows enough to swing a seraph blade but not much else but still somehow got selected for Head of Institute status?”

“That... sounds pretty terrible when you put it like that,” Isabelle says thoughtfully.

Alec grimaces. “Look, Victor is-- Well because he’s-- Oh Lilith...” Then he trails off and sighs heavily, looking extremely torn.

“Oh big brother,” Isabelle says rolling her eyes though there’s an affectionate expression on her face. “It’s very noble of you, especially since you don’t even like him, but don’t feel like you need to defend Aldertree just because he’s a fellow warlock. It is pretty terrible that he got in as High Warlock in the first place and it doesn’t speak very well of our community here in New York.”

Alec rolls his own eyes. “I wasn’t going to defend him,” Alec mumbles, a petulant look on his face that Magnus thinks is adorable.

“No, you totally were trying to,” Isabelle says. “Trying, because it’s nearly impossible to have a leg to stand on when attempting such a feat. Look, I know we need to back each other up as warlocks; you tell me that all the time. But there are just some things you _can’t_ defend and Victor Aldertree is one of them. If nothing else, he’s going to be the issue that’s going to unite the New York Shadow World even if for only a brief period of time.”

“Well I was rather hoping the Shadow World would be able to forge a unity that lasted beyond… that particular issue,” Ragnor says carefully as he leans almost casually against the back of his chair. His dark eyes are full of steely determination as he watches the two warlocks opposite him. “That _is_ why I’ve been trying to make better diplomatic efforts with the Downworld.”

Alec and Isabelle both look silently at Ragnor, expressions scrutinizing. Magnus tries not to squirm in his seat in sympathy.

“Well, it’s true. He has been trying,” Alec says eventually. Ragnor seems to relax minutely and Magnus feels like he can breath again.

“Oh Alec, you’re not at all _biased_ ,” Isabelle teases, eyes twinkling with mirth as she tilts a meaningful look at Magnus.

Alec blushes instantly. “It’s true though! There’s still a long way to go but the patrols checking in respectfully with Downworlders is a start.”

Ragnor perks up instantly and Magnus can see where this is going to go in a heartbeat and that simply won’t _do_ because he really wants to _sleep_.

“Maybe,” Magnus says before Ragnor can gather steam. “We should schedule another time to have a meeting like this. We could get the other Downworld leaders involved too if you’d like, make it an official diplomatic goodwill meeting and such.”

Ragnor freezes and looks at Magnus with narrowed eyes. “That’s... a remarkably good idea Magnus.”

Magnus glares. “You say that like you’re surprised.”

“I am,” Ragnor says drily. “You never have good ideas.”

“Hey!” Magnus squawks.

“ _But_ we’ve got the warlock bit of the equation here right now, might as well pick their brains,” Ragnor says stubbornly and Magnus wants to face plant into the hardwood desk in despair. Curse incompetent High Warlocks and how they somehow manage to get in the way of Magnus sleeping without even being in the same room as him.

“So,” Ragnor says but gets no further when the lights suddenly dim and crimson colours the room, the shriek of the demon alert alarm splitting the air.

Magnus gives in and does face plant into the desk then.

“Right. Well. Another time then,” Ragnor says heavily when the shrieking stops. Exasperation colours his tone and Magnus finally sees a hint of the exhaustion he’d been hiding in the tense furrow between his eyebrows. “Thank you both for coming on such short notice. Sorry to end this so abruptly.”

“We’ll talk to Lydia about boosting the warding as soon as possible,” Isabelle says.

“I’m going to die,” Magnus moans into the desk.

“Stop being so melodramatic,” Ragnor says, whacking Magnus none too gently on the shoulder. “Come on, duty calls.”

“Urrrgggghhh,” Magnus groans but gets up anyways, dragging himself out the door as Ragnor leads the way to the Ops Centre, the Lightwood’s trailing after them.

Just before they cross the threshold between the hallway and the Ops Centre, a warm hand catches Magnus’.

“You go ahead Izzy, I’ll catch up,” Alec says as Magnus turns to look at him.

“Don’t take too long big bro,” Isabelle says, a sly grin on her face. She winks at Alec and Magnus. Magnus finds enough energy to grin back at her just as slyly, making her huff in amusement. Alec rolls his eyes.

“Hey,” Alec says when Isabelle is gone. He’s standing close, still holding Magnus’ hand, hazel eyes warm and brimming with quiet affection. Magnus feels a little short on breath.

“Hey,” he replies. Right now he could give two shits about the demon alert.

“I know you have a job to do but I, uh, just wanted to say hi,” Alec says, a shy smile tugging at his lips.

“Well hello then,” Magnus says taking a tiny step closer so he and Alec are pretty much breathing the same air. Magnus is thrilled to see Alec’s eyes flicker briefly to his lips.

“Hi,” Alec says, his smile widening into Magnus’ favorite lopsided grin.

“It was nice seeing you again,” Magnus says. “Even if it wasn’t quite under the circumstances I was hoping for.”

“We’ll get there, eventually.” Alec smiles wryly glancing over Magnus’ shoulder. Behind Magnus, the Ops Centre is now in an extremely familiar state of controlled chaos. Ragnor is deploying patrols while sending increasingly irate glances at Magnus and Alec so Magnus knows he has about thirty seconds before Ragnor starts screeching at him to get to work.

“I should go,” Magnus says, squeezing Alec’s hand gently. “I’ll text you when I can.”

“Stay safe, Magnus,” Alec says in his customary earnest manner.

“I will,” Magnus says, unable to help the small and surely sun bright smile pulling at his lips.

“Magnus!” Ragnor’s irate bellow finally sounds.

“Gotta go,” Magnus says. He gazes up at Alec, then pops up on his toes and plants a chaste kiss on Alec’s cheek.

“That is going to distract me so very terribly,” Alec says when Magnus pulls away.

“I know,” Magnus says, grinning smugly. “See you around warlock,” he adds with a wink as he steps away, squeezing Alec’s hand one last time before finally letting go.

 

***

 

“Tonight might be the night,” Magnus says in a whisper-shout, gaze darting around suspiciously.

“Don’t jinx it,” Alec says tone amused. He’s still carrying the slightest hint of tension in his shoulders anyways, like any moment now, he’s expecting Magnus’ phone to start beeping aggressively with another demon alert. Magnus can sympathize

It’s been almost a week since the last demon surge. With Lydia’s assistance, the Lightwood siblings had erected a whole lot of boosting wards around the city. Aldertree’s reaction upon realizing the wards were there had apparently been a legendary tantrum Magnus was a little sad to have missed. Alec had ever so politely glossed over the details of it, but Magnus had gotten a painstakingly detailed account of it from Isabelle when he’d run into her getting coffee at Starbucks. Magnus, because he is a good friend despite all of Ragnor’s and Raphael’s claims to the contrary, had relayed every detail he could remember to Ragnor when he’d gotten back to the Institute.

The boosting wards had indeed ended up helping to reduce the severity of the demon surges to such a noticeable level that Aldertree had had no choice but to allow them to stay up lest he incur the wrath of every single Downworlder and Shadowhunter in New York. Now they were coming up on eight days since the last surge, the longest break they’ve had since the whole entire fiasco started. Communication from the Clave had indicated the lull was indeed happening on a worldwide scale and hopefully wouldn’t end any time soon so with fingers and toes crossed, Magnus had scrambled to set up what he hoped would finally be a successful first date with Alec.

“How so very mundane of you,” Magnus teases.

“Hey, some of their phrases can be very useful,” Alec says grinning.

They walk for another block before Magnus spots the restaurant.

“Ah, here we are.” Magnus hurries his steps so that he’s able to hold the front door of the restaurant open for Alec.

“How chivalrous,” Alec says as he scans the sign above the entrance. “Ooo, I haven’t had Ethiopian in a long time,” he adds as he steps through the door.

“Hopefully not a bad choice then?” Magnus asks as he follows Alec inside, trying not to sound too worried.

“Don’t worry,” Alec says, dropping a wink at Magnus that has the shadowhunter’s cheeks warming. “I love Ethiopian.”

“Good,” Magnus says, turning his attention to the hostess in a bid to try and hide his blush. The restaurant is more on the casual dining side of things but Magnus has still dressed up a little, wearing a red and black print jacket overtop a black button-up shirt and smart black trousers, hoping to impress. Alec had shown up looking effortlessly beautiful in a dark green button-up shirt and gray suit pants.

The hostess seats them quickly; the restaurant only moderately busy on a Wednesday night.

“So? Enjoying this break?” Alec asks when the hostess has left.

“Yes, oh Angel yes,” Magnus says emphatically as he pages through the menu pages. “I will never complain about slow patrol nights _ever_ again. I was such a naive child back then, wanting fighting and action all the time. How little did I know. Sleeping is so much better.”

Alec laughs. “I hope for all our sakes this keeps up. I think I’ve got a bit of a psychological aversion to hearing my ringtone now. So many calls for ward boosts and healing demon venom injuries. I’m glad for this break.” He smiles sheepishly. “I know people needed our help and I have no problem helping but the amount of calls… It was getting ridiculous.”

Magnus nods sympathetically. “I get it. I have an aversion to the demon alert alarm now. Before these past two months I think I’d heard it twice, maybe. Now I’ve lost count of how many times it’s gone off.”

Their server arrives then, taking their drink orders and describing the specials for tonight before leaving them to peruse their menus.

“Shall we share a platter?” Alec suggests, scanning a dinner-for-two special at the back of the menu. Magnus glances at it and tries not to smile too widely at the suggestion. It’s such a coupley thing to do and Magnus is desperately trying not to get ahead of himself here. He’s always fallen too hard, too fast and Alec is making it so very easy, especially with the way he directs a warm smile at Magnus when he glances up from his menu, waiting for an answer.

“Yeah, why not,” Magnus says, smiling back and hoping it’s not as dopey as he thinks it might be.

The rest of dinner goes smoothly from there. They’ve spent the last two months getting to know each other, texting every day and calling every other, all mixed in with the odd times they could see each other in person. The date seems like a natural extension of all that.

Before Magnus knows it, the restaurant is completely empty of patrons save for themselves and a pair of what look to be mundane college students who both look ready to pass out in their meals and Magnus realizes they haven’t seen their server in half-an-hour. When he glances around the restaurant, he sees her boredly tapping away at her phone behind the service counter, the hostess right beside her.

“Oh wow, it’s that late already,” Alec says looking at the time on his phone, a sheepish smile on his face.

Magnus chuckles. “Should we get out of here?”

“Yeah, sure,” Alec says.

With the bill already paid, they simply get up, Alec leading the way out of the restaurant. Magnus glances back at the service counter in time to see their server huffing and the hostess giggling behind her hand while they watch Magnus and Alec leaving.

Magnus shoots them a cheeky grin along with a wink sending the hostess into a fit of laughter and even making their server break out into a reluctant smile. One of the nodding college students wakes with a start at the sudden noise.

Outside Alec is breathing in the late summer night air, head tipped back to study the New York sky. There’s a tiny smattering of stars barely visible through the glare of the city lights.

“So, what next?” Alec asks when Magnus comes to stand beside him.

Magnus isn’t ready for the date to end and neither is Alec it seems.

“Coffee or a walk?” Magnus suggests but then adds wryly, “but I can’t stay out too late. Ragnor’s scheduled some meetings with the Clave tomorrow morning that I have to be there for.”

“Shouldn’t that be Tessa Grey’s job?” Alec says, quirking an eyebrow at Magnus. “I remember you saying she was second-in-command.”

“It was,” Magnus says nodding. “But she put in for a transfer to Alicante some time ago so she could finally live and work in the same city as her fiance. She’s all but officially gone from the New York Institute at this point. We pretty much just have to finalize all the paperwork. It’s only taking so long because of all the backlogged paperwork we have to do from the demon surges.”

“Oh,” Alec turns to look fully at Magnus now, inquiring grin on his face. “So does this mean you’re taking the job of second-in-command then?”

“Ever so reluctantly,” Magnus says, chuckling a little nervously. He’s been second-in-command in all but name for the past month now, but the unofficial capacity of the position meant the reality of it hadn’t quite hit home yet. “Emphasis on the reluctantly. But, it’s not so bad, I guess. I mean, Ragnor is the one who’ll get in trouble if things mess up so I can always hide behind him.”

“You’ll do great,” Alec says before Magnus can build up to a full rant about all his worries and insecurities about the position.

“You’re just saying that,” Magnus says, scuffing his foot awkwardly on the sidewalk.

“No, I’m not.” Alec places his hands on Magnus’ shoulders and looks him in the eye. “I’ve had ample opportunity to see you working with your shadowhunters these past few weeks. You’re an amazing leader and you and Ragnor make a great team. You’ll be great.”

There’s that earnestness, that blunt honesty again that seems to come so easily to Alec and Magnus can’t help but believe every word he's saying. “Yeah, okay fine.”

“Good. Now.” Alec looks up. “What do you say we go back to mine? I have coffee there.”

Magnus tries not to think about what else they could possibly do there in the privacy of Alec’s loft because he won’t be able to function for the rest of the evening.

“Yeah, sounds good,” Magnus says as nonchalantly as possible.

Alec smiles and takes his hand, tugging Magnus along until they find an alleyway hidden from mundane eyes that he can create a portal in.

They portal right into the loft, which is very empty of any siblings, and Alec immediately sets to work brewing up coffee. Magnus attempts to assist but really he just ends up leaning against the counter and trying to talk to Alec over the sounds of grinding coffee beans and percolating coffee.

“I’m not normally a big coffee drinker,” Magnus says after taking a first sip of the freshly brewed coffee. “But you might be onto something here.” He tilts his head in the direction of the coffee grinder and the gleaming steel monstrosity of a coffee maker perched on the granite countertop

“Instant coffee is for savages,” Alec says primly as he spoons what might be an entire sugar bowl’s worth of sugar into his coffee.

“Hey! We shadowhunters are a busy folk. Not all of us have time to grind coffee beans and commune with the percolation gods before being able to drink the coffee. Some of us have things to do and places to go. Also, would you like some coffee with your sugar?” Magnus quirks a brow as Alec starts stirring his coffee, surprised that the whole entire thing isn’t just a mess of sugary sludge.

“It’s not _that_ much sugar,” Alec protests, blowing on the coffee before taking a careful sip. His eyelids flutter shut with pleasure for a moment, the coffee clearly exactly to his liking. Magnus can’t seem to tear his eyes away.

“I would have to respectfully disagree,” Magnus says vaguely.

“Hmm, you and Izzy both. She thinks coffee is wasted on me. I tell her that her soul must be black and bitter, just like the coffee she drinks.”

“What about Jace?” Magnus asks watching the way Alec’s lips wrap around the lip of the coffee mug to take another sip.

“Surprisingly, Jace doesn’t really care. He has milk and sugar in his coffee. He leaves the kitchen if Izzy and I are there at the same time making coffee. I think he’s just trying to pick his battles since he did try to make fun of me for my coffee once and I made fun of his hot sauce habit. Ever since he discovered Frank’s Red Hot he literally puts that shit on everything.”

“Huh,” Magnus says.

There’s a moment of silence, then Alec suddenly sets his mug down on the counter with a resolute sounding clink. Magnus looks up and watches as Alec takes the mug out of his hands setting it on the counter as well. Then Alec simply leans against the counter and looks at him, Magnus looking back.

The stare off lasts about two seconds before they’re both moving. Magnus reaches out, not sure where exactly he wants his hands to go, but Alec is more certain, hands grasping the lapels of his suit jacket. They meet halfway, lips smashing together almost painfully but Magnus is too overwhelmed to care. His hands flail for a moment as they kiss passionately before he settles them in an intimate hold around Alec’s neck, threading his fingers through the warlock’s dark hair.

Alec makes a noise, a low moan, when Magnus tugs lightly on his hair and then he’s being pushed back against the counter, the uncomfortable edge digging into his lower back barely registering as hands roam up and down his body. The kiss deepens until their tongues are tangling and Magnus is feeling light headed from too little air.

Alec pulls back for a second, looking like he wants to say something but Magnus dives back in, capturing Alec’s lips again in another forceful kiss. Alec follows all too willingly. Magnus has never felt like this before, so wild and untethered, so close to losing control, and all from just kissing. His heart pounds against his ribs, his blood feels like it’s almost boiling in his veins, and he can hardly breathe.

“Magnus,” Alec says almost reverently when he pulls back again. He rests their foreheads together, eyes closed, hands now grasping Magnus around his waist. His chest heaves for breath in time with Magnus’. When Alec opens his eyes and looks at him, expression filled with fondness and so much more, Magnus feels his heart stutter in his chest, and the distant call of forever echoes in his ears.

“Alexander,” Magnus breathes out.

Alec looks a little startled then.

“I-- um-- I don’t-- umm,” Magnus stutters, not at all sure why he said that.

“Say it again,” Alec says, eyes suddenly intense.

“Alexander,” Magnus says. Alec kisses him hard again, another heated and intense kiss that has Magnus moaning lowly in the back of his throat. Magnus slides his hands deeper into Alec’s hair, hands roaming through the thick, luxurious mop. Alec pulls away again, making Magnus keen in disappointment, a sound he will never ever admit to making.

“Magnus, I think we should-- Oh Lilith,” Alec says breathily when Magnus latches onto his neck instead of paying any mind to what he’s trying to say. Alec tilts his head back obligingly as Magnus nips and sucks his way down and then back up the long pale column of the warlock’s throat. He has to pop onto his toes and drag Alec’s head back down with his hands to reach Alec’s mouth again.

“Magnus,” Alec says once again trying to pull away after another heated kiss.

“Alexander,” Magnus says and Alec groans. “I need you to stop talking,” he adds before going back in to initiate another searing round of kisses. He drops his own hands down, letting them roam over the smooth material of Alec’s dress shirt, the suggestion of hard planes of muscle making Magnus’ mind short circuit.

“Magnus,” Alec says a little more forcefully, this time managing to pull himself far enough away that Magnus’ questing hands can’t pull him back in. Magnus tries anyways, earning himself a chuckle from Alec when the warlock dodges his efforts.

“Magnus, please.”

Magnus pouts then. “Alexander,” he says, trying to make his tone as sultry as possible while swaying a step closer to Alec.

“I think we should slow down,” Alec manages to get out, but his eyes are still dark and smouldering and it looks like he wants the opposite of what he’s saying.

“Mmmhm,” Magnus says taking the final half-step he needs to be pressed flush against Alec again.

“I’m trying to be a gentleman here,” Alec says looking up at the ceiling, apparently pleading for self-control. His hands are gripping Magnus tightly around the waist and Magnus grins.

“What if I don’t want you to be a gentleman huh?” Magnus trails a teasing finger down Alec’s chest.

Alec blushes then. “Magnus,” he says quellingly.

Magnus huffs. “Fine,” he says, stepping back and creating a distasteful gap between his and Alec’s bodies. “But why are we slowing down? That was going _very_ well if I do say so myself.” Magnus tangles their fingers together.

Alec’s cheeks turning even redder and he bites his lip a tad bashfully. “I… I just don’t want to rush this you know. It’s important. You’re important and I just… don’t want to mess things up.”

Magnus blinks at Alec. It’s… Oh Angel, Magnus doesn’t know what it is, but it’s making his chest feel tight and his pulse race and he suddenly realizes if Alec wants to wait until the world is dust and the stars extinguished then Magnus will gladly and cheerfully wait right along with him.

“Magnus?” Alec says looking worried. “I’m sorry. Is that weird? It’s just, I had some bad experiences rushing into things in the past and well...”

“No! Umm, no, no it’s not,” Magnus says, rushing to correct Alec. “It’s not weird at all. You don’t have to explain. If you want to take things slow, we can take things slow Alexander.” The name rolls off his tongue easily, like he’s been calling Alec that from the start.

Alec takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for a moment. “Normally, I’m not too fond of people using my full name…”

“Should I not?” Magnus says suddenly feeling self-conscious.

“Nope, no you definitely should. You’re allowed.” Alec grins at him. “Definitely allowed. The only one really, I think.”

“Yeah?” Magnus steps forward into Alec’s space again, tugging on their linked hands to pull Alec in the rest of the way flush to him.

“Mmhmm.”

“Don’t I feel special.”

“You should.”

Magnus chuckles then, before tilting his head back and capturing Alec’s lips in another kiss. This one is soft and gentle, nothing like the heated ones they exchanged earlier, and all the more heady for it.

“I should head out,” Magnus says when he manages to pull himself back down to earth and catches the time on the microwave clock. “We should do this again sometime.”

“Yes, definitely,” Alec says nodding. “I’ll plan this one and text you the details.”

“Perfect,” Magnus says. They stand for a moment, simply basking in each other’s presence.

“Okay, I should really head out,” Magnus says after a minute. Reluctantly, he lets go of Alec’s hands and steps back.

“Portal?” Alec asks.

“Oh it’s not far to the Institute from here, I can walk,” Magnus says. “I don’t want you to keep using your magic for tiny things like this.”

“Please,” Alec says already motioning for a portal. “I want to.”

Magnus huffs a laugh and watches the portal spin into existence. “You’re going to spoil me. I’m totally going to get fat not running everywhere like I used to.”

“Mmm,” Alec grins suggestively. “We’ll find other ways to keep you fit.”

Magnus laughs as Alec winks. “Cheeky,” he says before stepping back into Alec’s space and kissing him one more time.

“I can’t hold this open forever,” Alec says when the kiss lingers on.

“Okay, okay,” Magnus says pulling back. “See you later.” He takes another deep breath before pulling back ever so reluctantly from Alec and stepping through the portal. The last thing he sees is Alec smiling softly after him.

Magnus laughs when he realizes Alec’s portal deposited him in the hallway near Tessa’s old office, which would be his soon. Feeling giddy and a little like he’s going to float off the ground any minute now, Magnus spins a little aimlessly, before deciding he should head up to his room and get ready for bed.

Just as he’s getting into the elevator to head upstairs, Magnus feels his phone buzz in his pocket. When he takes it out to look, there’s a text from Alec waiting for him.

_Can’t wait to see you again._

Magnus smiles.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed reading this! Constructive criticism is welcome, but please keep all comments respectful and polite.


End file.
